Invitationgate

ORDA President Ted Blazer’s testimony yesterday that U.S. Rep. John Sweeney helped assemble invitations to the annual Congressional Winter Challenge at Lake Placid – in apparent violation ofÂ aÂ House Committee on Standards opinion – has spurred a big reaction.

The state Democratic Party is atttacking the Clifton Park Republican, calling Blazer’s testimony (which was backed up by ORDA documents) “a bombshell.”

“John Sweeney has gotten so wrapped up in the perks and special treatment of being a Congressman that heâ€™s not only out of touch with the district but he now thinks heâ€™s above the law,” Democratic spokesman Blake Zeff said.

Meanwhile, the congressman himself spoke to The Post’s Fred Dicker during his radio show on WROW AM 590 this morning and trashed me personally, accusing me of having a vendetta against him, despite the fact that other papers reported much the same thing that appeared in today’s Times Union.

Sweeney is getting some support today from the U.S. Olympic Committee. I received an e-mail this morning from Stephen Bull, director of government relations for the USOC, who said the guests for this event basically break down into two categories: ORDA invitees andÂ USOC invitees.

The ORDAÂ list is putÂ together “in consultation with Congressman Sweeney’s office,” Bull said. The USOC names come from Bull, who said they are “friends and colleagues of mine,” adding:

“Some, but not all, are lobbyists, but all fall into the USOC friends category, such as the Port Authority policeman (Curt Kellinger) who pulled the American flag out of the rubble of the collapsed World Trade Center in 2001.”Â Â

That flag was displayed at the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

Bull said ORDA pays for the “government people,” while the USOC pays for its group. He said he issues the invitations “in both cases,” and sent along a copy of the text.